


Hinterlands

by Im_The_Doctor (Bofur1)



Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Alien Cultural Differences, Anger, Assumptions, Banter, Bittersweet Ending, Car Accidents, Explosions, Gun Violence, Hatred, Horror, Major Character Injury, Mercy - Freeform, Mission Fic, Misunderstandings, Protectiveness, Realization, Rescue Missions, Self-Sacrifice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-02-17
Packaged: 2018-05-21 08:53:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6045529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bofur1/pseuds/Im_The_Doctor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The agent acts out of the hatred she's been trained in, while the alien acts out of the mercy he's been hunted for.</p><p> </p><p>  <em>Perhaps her life didn’t matter, if the officers intended to let her die, but she wasn’t simply cannon fodder. She was a life that had given itself willingly.</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	Hinterlands

The strikingly blue Polaris Slingshot had appeared just when she needed it to, a voice echoing from an unseen source, urging her aboard.

She had been prepared to sacrifice her life here, of course. It hadn’t been any secret what her superior officers had planned for her and this unexpected intervention could be from anyone on either side. Even so, she obediently scrambled into the vehicle and clutched at the sides, swallowing a rush of nausea as it rocketed forward.

“Where are we going?” she called out over the sputtering of electricity looming behind them, scanning the blurred shadows lit only by the flaring and spitting of sparks.

“The other side of the building,” the voice throbbed all around her, likely through an unseen speaker in the getaway car.

“Why?”

“Because this side will explode first, think it through.” Any civilian would’ve screamed as debris collapsed in their path and she would never admit it, but she did have to stifle a small yip. The Slingshot swerved and skidded out, the speakers quizzing in a surprisingly resigned manner, “Why did you do this?”

“Emergency protocols,” she snapped back. Since the voice on the other side didn’t question it, she assumed they understood.

“And where is the rest of the team?”

“Evacuated,” she admitted shortly, ducking some whistling cables which dangled exposed from the ceiling and fisting her hands into the seat underneath her.

“But you’re still here,” the voice mused. She felt a lash of defensiveness at the casual tone, as though her life didn’t matter. Perhaps it didn’t, if the officers intended to let her die, but she wasn’t simply cannon fodder. She was a life that had given itself willingly. They ought to appreciate—

“Tell me, is your war always like this?”

 _My war?_ That implied someone who wasn’t involved, but how could they have sent this remotely-controlled car if they weren’t a part of it? “If you’re lucky,” she snarked just before a particularly bright flash blinded her and the vehicle screeched to an abrupt halt, hurtling her at breakneck speed. Her instinct had been primed in her; she prepared herself to roll upright as soon as she hit the ground, but as she loosened her wiry frame for the impact, a massive set of gears chittered against each other and a hot mat of metal intercepted her course, snatching her out of the air.

She tried to blink away her whiplash and fixated on two absinthe-green crystals directly ahead, spiraling into themselves several times over to focus on her in return.

“Don’t worry,” the voice soothed, vibrating to her very core through his hold on her. “I intend to be rescuer as well as getaway vehicle.”

“What did you say?” she demanded as pieces of armor jutted and clicked, still in the process of amassing in front and around her. It was an uncharacteristic struggle to compartmentalize her disbelief. “Rescuer? Is that what you said?”

“Yes, come on,” said rescuer took on a chiding tone. “You’ll love it.”

“Are you the vehicle?” she gasped, indicating the facial structure as though he himself were unaware of it.

“Yes, but you’ll be perfectly safe, I promise you—”

Horror and realization dawning, she snatched her weapon out of her shoulder holster, aiming with pinpoint accuracy for the glass of the right optic. “Don’t touch me! Get away from me!” she snarled, contradicting her current point of protection, his hand, but she’d rather be down below burning than here in the grasp of _this_.

The optics were unblinking, almost unfazed by the firearm, but the ridged mouth below shifted slightly to protest. “I’m not part of this war and I swear to you, I never was.”

“You’re a Transformer!” she spat, sweat slicking her palms and fingers, threatening the trigger.

“Undeniably, but look on the bright side: I’m not a Decepticon,” the mech appealed, his vocals finally taking on the urgency befitting the situation. “Please lower your weapon. I’m trying to help!”

Blinding light silhouetted the Transformer’s face and everything around them shuddered, fiercely enough that it nearly upset the mech’s kneeling position. He glanced over his shoulder and she gritted her teeth in a poor semblance of a smile, targeting the sensitive neck cables and emptying what was left of her clip. Her shots drew a heavy leak of viscous fluorescent blue liquid and she felt an erratic flinch down the arm supporting her.

“There’s no need to be ungracious,” her enemy hissed, folding in on himself and letting her land in the passenger seat with an unheard thump. Driven by adrenaline, she made a leap, but the seatbelt snagged her and dragged her back to a proper sitting position, pinning her there.

“Hands, arms, feet, and legs inside, please.”

What a great idea. Cursing, she kicked her heavy boots at whatever areas seemed most delicate, grunting incredulously as the seatbelt tightened enough to bite into any exposed skin.

The mech had nearly succeeded in clearing his hostage out of the warehouse, but ‘nearly’ was laughable; the smaller explosions made way for one which flipped the Slingshot entirely. She was reminded briefly of a carnival ride when they arced upside down and even more so when they somersaulted through their landing, the vehicle concaving around her, as though to shield her. They skidded upside down through the buckling entrance and settled into the dirt outside. Dangling, blooding rushing to and from her head, she let her senses grasp smoke and burnt chemicals.

She had always hated those carnival rides anyway.

When she came to, her immediate thoughts were of what might be missing. Were all of her limbs intact? Could she feel and move everything?

“My leaders would do anything for you.”

Groaning, she lifted her head and one hand, brushing hair from her eyes to see her rescuer leaning against a massive piece of debris which had been thrown from…ah, yes, her mission—the detonation of the warehouse…

She gave the mech an onceover and was pleased to see his plating bluer than blue. He had suffered just as much damage as she had. Letting her mouth twist into a sneer, she spat, “Your leaders shouldn’t bother. You’re evil.”

The mech didn’t answer or even glance at her for an undetermined time; he simply tilted his head toward the sky, green optics shuttered against the dawn approaching. Finally, after she cursed at him again, he lowered his gaze to settle sharp and heavy onto her, betraying the anger behind his lopsided smile.

“Cybertronians aren’t _evil_ —just nervous and armed.”

He used the debris as a handhold to pull himself upright, uncaring that it seemed to be singeing his fingers. When he came to full height and she could truly see him for the first time, she discerned suddenly just how small she was to him. His wounded steps past her shook the ground like an elephant’s, just as careful and much more powerful. He left her alone with her accomplished mission—alone, but alive.

Was it worth remembering that her life had mattered more to this alien than it had to her country?

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a big fan of the Bay movies, but I always thought Cemetery Wind was an intriguing plot point.
> 
> Screwloose belongs to me. Please comment and tell me if you liked it! I'd appreciate it. :)


End file.
